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Western Isles and Shetland

Episode 4 of 6

Coast embarks on an island-hopping adventure in Scotland around the stunning Western Isles and out to the northern outpost of Shetland.

Coast embarks on an island-hopping adventure in Scotland around the stunning Western Isles and out to the northern outpost of Shetland.

On Eriskay, Nick Crane gets unique access to the island's close-knit communities. Nick has a close encounter with a family of dolphins and he is invited to a golden wedding anniversary where the whole island gather to party. On the Isle of Lewis, Nick meets the leader of the Guga Hunters, a small band of men following the age-old tradition of catching young gannets.

Neil Oliver explores the tragic shipwreck of the Iolaire. On New Year's Eve 1918, over 200 servicemen returning home from the First World War drowned within sight of their homes on the Isle of Lewis as the Iolaire was torn apart in ferocious seas. The disaster is little known outside the Western Isles, but the community of Lewis still grieve in private nearly 100 years later. Neil seeks out the last witness who shares her first-hand memories of the tragedy.

Hermione Cockburn is on an expedition to Staffa. Armed with an acoustics expert, a violinist and a starting pistol, she conducts a curious experiment to explore the remarkable musical quality of Fingal's Cave.

Miranda Krestovnikoff is on Shetland to search for the shy otters who struggle to survive on this wild coast. She also ventures out to the tiny Isle of Noss to see the remains of a remarkable project to breed a super strong Shetland Pony.

Tessa Dunlop is on a deep sea survey ship to see how the epic voyage of HMS Challenger first revealed the astonishing secrets of life in the depths of the world's oceans, a global quest that began with surprising discoveries of mysterious creatures deep in Scottish seas in the 1860s.

1 hour

Last on

Wed 6 Feb 2019 13:00

Music Played

  • John Barry

    The Persuaders

  • Craig Armstrong

    Plunkett & Macleane Cues

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Nick Crane
Presenter Neil Oliver
Presenter Hermione Cockburn
Presenter Miranda Krestovnikoff
Presenter Tessa Dunlop
Executive Producer William Lyons
Series Editor Steve Evanson

Broadcasts

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